Eutectic
by zarah joyce
Summary: A mixture of two substances which has the lowest melting point in the whole series of possible compositions. Alternatively, So Yi Jung and Ha Jae Kyung.
1. Chapter 1

"This is fantastic," one of the art critics said to his fellows, lifting a richly colored plate from its display so he could further study it under the light and show it off. "Isn't it? Simply divine. One can tell that the utmost care was put into its creation." Amidst the murmurings of those around him he let out a sigh and lowered the plate lovingly before moving on to the next item, the others trailing behind him like neat little ducklings all in a row.

So Yi Jung carefully kept a smile on his face as he watched them, and took a small sip of his white wine when they departed the aisle.

Utmost care, eh?

 _Bullshit_.

He took the plate himself, turned it to its left, and grimaced at the sight of a slight bend near the edge. It was barely noticeable, even to a practiced eye, and could easily be overlooked if one didn't know what one was looking for.

Yi Jung, unfortunately, did.

This particular piece wasn't supposed to be on display. In fact, none of his outputs _should_ be on display. Each piece told the story of his struggles; as such, each piece had a fatal flaw that should be enough to have it thrown out, never to be seen or associated with him. But his manager had inspected each product and concluded that they could be put together in a small exhibit with no one being the wiser. The activity wouldn't be treated as a huge deal; merely an introduction of So Yi Jung's considerable talents to the European Art World.

Upon this proposition Yi Jung had said blithely, "Shouldn't I be putting my best foot forward if I wanted to be known to them?"

"This _is_ good enough," his manager, Lee Yo-Seob, had replied, hefting a brown bowl from the trash - the one that had a noticeable bump near the bottom - and winking at him. "Trust me."

Next thing he knew, there was a venue already, brochures, flyers, _everything_.

And now, _this_.

Yi Jung lowered the plate back to its stand, grimacing as he did.

Being merely _good enough_ wasn't exactly something he aspired to be.

If being _good enough_ was _enough_ for the world, then _maybe_ he should've just stayed in Korea instead of departing to this side of the continent.

If being _good enough_ was _enough_ for the world, then maybe he should just settle for the existing skills he already had and just. Stop.

Which was, of course, even more _bullshit_.

He finished his wine in a single gulp, then reached for another from a passing server.

 _God_ , he was getting a headache.

* * *

"All in all, I say this _is_ a success," Yo-Seob assured him some hours later. He clapped Yi Jung on the shoulder. "Not bad for _So Yi Jung_ , the up and coming genius potter from Seoul."

"I want to question your definition of success," Yi Jung said, "but thankfully the wine you ordered for everyone to enjoy is something I favored. Because of _that_ alone, I'm inclined to agree with you."

Lee Yo-Seob took his glasses off, rubbed it on his shirt, scrutinized it for dirt. "Of course that's what I ordered. Some things need to be celebrated, after all. _This_ is one of them."

The visitors had been slow in coming to this exhibit, but come they did, lingering before each item as though reluctant to part from it. Some even made inquiries if those in display were for sale; if they were fortunate enough to ask manager Yo-Seob, they would be quoted a sum that was not at all within the realm of 'outrageous'.

If they were lucky enough to ask _the creator_ himself, however - _well_. They would be unceremoniously told that they could get better deals elsewhere - such as department stores.

Yi Jung glanced at the door, in time for a small entourage to come in. When was it going to end? Unlike the first few hours of today, however, he no longer feel angry; just drained and disappointed. "I thought people here are more discerning," he said lightly, belying his words. "But they couldn't even tell art from trash?"

"-Yi Jung!"

"I didn't want my first exhibit to be like _this_ ," he said, for what seemed like the twentieth time in three days. "I _told_ you. And frankly, I don't understand why such a simple thing is so hard for you to actually _get_."

"We already sold twenty of your pieces, and it's only the first day," his manager reminded him patiently. "Had you wanted to, we can sell them all without much difficulty. We can-"

"Right. How can I forget? I came to Sweden to sell things; _thank you_ for reminding me." Yi Jung smiled at him.

Yo-Seob sighed and hunched his shoulders - suddenly showing off every single year he'd lived this good earth on his face. "You wanted to destroy all you've done since you came here. I stopped you because I saw potential in each and every one of them. How long will you continue to take _that_ against me?"

Oh well, when put _that_ way, it seemed as though So Yi Jung _was_ behaving rather irrationally, wasn't he?

He paused, wondering how he could explain where he was coming from.

"I want that potential to become something _else_ ," Yi Jung insisted fiercely. "Something I can be proud of. Something I'll be glad to part with in time because I know I put everything I have in it. These-" he made a sweeping motion around them, "-all these things haven't reached that level. _I_ haven't; not yet."

 _When I go back to Seoul, I want everyone to realize that I've improved_

 _Become more._

 _Better._

 _I want_ her _to know this._

"But you _are_ getting there," his manager said.

Yi Jung flexed his hand. As always he could feel phantom pinpricks in his palm, and they would actually _hurt_ at the most inconvenient time - like when he's molding clay. He'd learned somewhat to ignore the pain, but that didn't mean they stopped bothering him, when he let it.

"No," he simply said. "No. I'll get to decide _when_ that will be."

"Excuse me."

A man approached them from the side, and, turning, Yi Jung saw that he, too, was Korean, which was a relief. His Swedish-speaking skills were still rather poor after all - unfortunately for him. "I was wondering whom I should speak to in order to purchase one of the bowls in display?"

Yo-Seob opened his mouth, closed it, then looked at Yi Jung - deferring to him.

Who abruptly replied without much thought or care in the world, "It's not for sale."

"Oh. Well, thank you." And off the man went.

"You could have at least asked which one," his manager chided him rather sorrowfully, glancing at the departing man.

Yi Jung crossed his arms. "Then maybe _you_ should've answered before I did."

Not long after, the same man appeared beside them again and said, "Apologies, but may we ask you to reconsider? We are quite prepared to pay regardless of its price."

Yo-Seob said, with a pointed look Yi Jung's way, "Which piece are we talking about?"

The man blinked. "The- uh, the biggest one on display. It's brown? My lady really _is_ taken with it."

Yi Jung rolled his eyes and said, "I can assure you that the amount your lady is willing to pay will definitely get her much more than that piece of clay. _Elsewhere_."

Interestingly enough, a look of naked fear soon crossed the man's face. "Y-You don't understand," he said. "Money is _not_ a problem when it comes to my lady. If you want, we can double its price, no problem. Just give us-"

"Oh, well, since you're desperate." Turning to his manager Yi Jung said, "Please inform this man that that piece is most assuredly _not_ for sale. In fact, I'm bringing it back with me to become a permanent part of my own collection." He glanced at the man and added, "Like I said, you and your lady can go someplace else to get a bowl. Not here."

"-Yi Jung-"

Quite suddenly the man grabbed Yi Jung's shoulder, startling him. "P-Please!" he said. "I can't-"

"Get _off_ of him, you-"

Yi Jung pulled the man off of himself before straightening his jacket and fairly snarling, "If you don't get the hell out of this place I will-"

"Well? What's taking so long? Tigress needs her drinking cup!"

The unmistakable feminine voice drew his attention away from the shrinking man as effectively as anything could. Yi Jung placed his hands on his hips, glanced at the owner of that voice - and stared, as if not believing what he was seeing.

"-Ha Jae Kyung?"

* * *

 **notes:** experimental fic! Once I thought about it I can't let it go without writing it sob. This is envisioned to be a companion piece to _Static_ ; I might just expand that universe because why not lmao


	2. Chapter 2

"-Ha Jae Kyung?"

The woman in question blinked, then blinked again. "Oh!" She stalked towards him, only to point crudely at his face. "I was right, then, I _do_ know you. You're Jun's friend!" She paused. "Or _one_ of them, at least."

Yi Jung reached forward to lower her hand. "I _have_ a name, thank you," he said while straightening his jacket. "Though I suppose I shouldn't be surprised if you don't remember it." Considering how her world revolved around Go Jun Pyo back then, this fact _shouldn't_ be insulting.

If he were really honest with himself, however, it kinda was.

After all, no girl could and _should_ forget him.

"That's what you think." She grinned, stepped closer to him and carefully enunciated, " _So Yi Jung._ "

...oh. Well, then.

Was she _actually_ paying attention to the non-Jun Pyo members of the F4?

Had he, perhaps, misjudged her?

Then Jae Kyung ruined the illusion by taking something out of her purse and waving it at his face. "Of course I know your name. It's written all over the pamphlet I took, silly."

Idly, Yi Jung plucked the pamphlet from her fingers as if it had offended him and handed it to Yo-Seob, who took it as an opportunity to say, "Of course it is. After all, this _is_ his exhibit."

She looked around them and said, "It looks boring, to be honest. I mean, why is this place so cramped and _small_?"

Yo-Seob blinked. "W-Well-"

"Holding exhibits is just a fancier way of selling things, isn't it?" Jae Kyung asked, inspecting her fingernails a bit before looking up at Yi Jung.

What an odd way of looking at things. Yi Jung took his time in responding, "It might be to one who doesn't have any appreciation for art." In other words, to crude, unrefined, uncouth individuals who would dare think it.

Like _her._

Brushing aside his unspoken jab - either because she didn't get it or she refused to acknowledge it - Jae Kyung then said, "Then why aren't you selling that ugly brown bowl to my man?"

 _...Ugly?_

To avoid losing his temper _and_ composure in front of a woman, Yi Jung chose to focus on: "Your man?"

" _Him_ ," she said, gesturing at the one who had almost assaulted Yi Jung earlier. "I mean if you're selling the bowl then we're going to buy it, _obviously_. Tigress needs something to drink from, after all."

"Let me guess," Yi Jung said drolly. "Tigress is your pet lion?"

"That's _Leon_ ," she said, rolling her eyes. "I told you that already. _Tigress_ is my pet tiger."

He placed his hand on his hips and asked, "Why on good earth do you have wild animals as pets?"

Jae Kyung crossed her arms and shot back, "Why are _you_ holding exhibits here in Sweden?"

Coolly, Yi Jung said, "I don't have to answer that."

"Good," she replied. "Then neither do I."

He looked at her and, unblinkingly, she stared right back at him.

As if sensing that they've come into a deadlock, Yo-Seob came in between them to turn to her and say, "Miss Ha, please understand. It's the creator's prerogative if he's going to sell his creations or not, and, well-"

"You're just going to break it anyway," Yi Jung said blithely.

" _Hey!_ That's-"

"Remember that piece I gave you? The one I said Queen Elizabeth favored? You broke it literally a few seconds _after_ I handed it to you." It was a good thing there was no one around to question him that day; otherwise he would have had a jolly good fantastic time explaining why the hell a priceless artifact procured from abroad was now lying on the floor in several broken pieces. "You made a mess out of perfectly good pottery."

Jae Kyung raised her chin and sheepishly said, "Technically, I can do whatever I want with it since it's already mine. Besides, it was... I don't know, slippery. And plain - did I mention it was _plain?_ "

"It's worth at _least_ fifty thousand US Dollars in the market," Yi Jung told her.

"Still doesn't make it any prettier," she replied. Jae Kyung gestured behind her and said, "That ugly brown bowl you're not selling is _way_ better, if you ask me."

He crossed his arms and stared at her, not knowing how to respond.

 _God_. No wonder Jun Pyo vastly preferred Geum Jan Di over her!

"Hey." She tapped him on the arm and smiled brilliantly. "So Yi Jung. If I promise to not break your bowl, will you sell it to me then?"

"If I may ask," Yo-Seob said, pushing up his glasses and earning a dry look from Yi Jung, "how much are you willing to pay for it?"

"Oh..." Jae Kyung mulled that over, then brightly said, "Will thirty thousand US dollars do?"

Yo-Seob coughed. "That's... mighty generous of you, Miss Ha-"

"It's not even worth a tenth of that," Yi Jung told her point-blank. "Why are you willing to pay for that much? It's garbage."

" _Yi Jung-_ " Yo-Seob sounded distressed.

Jae Kyung crossed her arms and said, "I don't care if you think it's trash; I _like_ it. And what I want, I always get."

Yi Jung raised a brow at her because _of course_ they both knew it wasn't always true.

Case in point: Go Jun Pyo.

She must have sensed what he was too much of a gentleman to point out because she amended her statement with, " _Usually_. Besides-" Jae Kyung flipped her hair and said, "I'm going to use that bowl for my pet. You should be proud, you know. I only use the _best_ for them." She stepped closer to him. "Come _on_ ," she cajoled, clasping her hands together and batting her eyelashes at him, "Pretty pretty please?"

Looking down at her, Yi Jung could feel his head starting to pulsate. He surreptitiously pressed the bridge of his nose in an attempt to halt his incoming headache before saying, "You know what? Fine. _Fine_. Just get it and go."

" _Ha!_ " Jae Kyung hit him on the arm and clapped. "I _knew_ you're gonna give in!" She pivoted on her heel and called out, "You there! Where's my credit card? Give it!"

Yi Jung glared at her retreating form before turning to his manager and saying, "I don't want to hear it."

"What?" Lee Yo-Seob smiled at him. "I wasn't saying anything."

"Just... take care of her. Make sure she leaves," Yi Jung ordered, signalling for one of the waiters to get him a drink.

"Your wish is my command." Yo-Seob then turned to trail after Ha Jae Kyung.

His drink came a few seconds later. Yi Jung's attention was elsewhere when the unmistakable sound of something loudly _breaking_ reached his ears.

"Oops! _Sorry!_ " Ha Jae Kyung yelled. "It's paid for, I _swear._ "

Yi Jung winced.

Time for him to _go_ , then.

* * *

That night found him in his studio, a bowl of clay already half-formed on his wheel. Yi Jung bent to study it from another angle, then reached forward to push his finger into the clay, indenting it.

Except his hand began to throb.

Yi Jung bore the pain for as long as he could, and pulled out three seconds longer than he should. He massaged the damaged hand, biting his lip as he did. Already the pain was receding, to his immense relief.

He eyed his half-done creation. So far, it hadn't suffered any untoward damage, which meant that he was getting _better_ in holding still and enduring the pain when it attacked. The ache also didn't linger long, which could only be a good thing, in his opinion.

He was reaching out to indent the clay again when his phone beeped.

Taking it out of his pocket, he saw that he had received a text message. Half expecting it to come from his manager who was probably going to brag about how well his exhibit went, Yi Jung slid his hand across the screen - and paused.

 _Yi Jung Sunbae, how are you? I hope you're doing well. Keep safe._

He stared at the message, not quite knowing what to do next.  
 _  
I'm fine, Ga Eul. How are you?_

 _Are you doing well?_

 _I miss-_

Yi Jung shook his head, erased his own typed message, and turned off his phone.

He had work to do.


End file.
